Bob Clampett
|died = May 24, 1984 (aged 70) Detroit, Michigan |cause of death = Heart attack |years active = 1931 - 1984 |spouse = Sody Clampett |occupation(s) = Animator, producer, director, puppeteer |children = Robert, Jr., Ruth, and Cheri| |alternate names = Robert Clampett, Kilroy}} Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett (May 8, 1913 - May 2, 1984) was an American director, producer, animator, and puppeteer, best known for his work with both of Warner Bros.' cartoon series, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Early years Clampett was born in San Diego, California on May 8, 1913 to Joan and Robert Clampett. When he was a toddler, he and his family moved to Hollywood where they lived next door to actor Charlie Chaplin and his brother Syd. While growing up in Hollywood, Clampett was interested in and influenced by actors Douglas Fairbanks, Lon Chaney, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. At the ages of four and five, Clampett showed extraordinary drawing talent which led to him wanting to do art, but decided to step up to cartooning and make comic strips. At the age of twelve, Clampett had his cartoons published by the Los Angeles Times ''including a full-page comic about the nocturnal adventures of a pussycat that was published in color in the Sunday edition. Later on, Clampett showed an interest in animation, filmmaking and puppetry. He also began making his own short films subjects in his garage. Dispute Despite his legacy, Bob has been savaged by his coworkers at Warner Brothers, many of whom called him a "shameless self-promoter who provoked the wrath of his former in later years for allegedly claiming credit for ideas which were not his." Chuck Jones particularly disliked him, and therefore made no mention of him in his 1979 compilation-film ''The Bugs Bunny Road-Runner Movie, or his biography Chuck Amuck. In addition, voice-actor Mel Blanc accused Bob of being an "egotist who took credit for everything." Some of this antipathy may have been connected to Bob's "golden boy" status at the studio (his mother was said to be a close friend of producer Leon Schlesinger), which allowed him to ignore rules that everyone else was expected to follow. He also mentioned many things that were not true, in Bugs Bunny Superstar. Looney Works Characters created Tweety.png|Tweety (original) GoofyGophers.jpg|Goofy Gophers Strifebeaky.jpg|Beaky Buzzard Mama buzzard.png|Mama Buzzard YoYoDodo.jpg|Yoyo Dodo Babbitandcatstello.jpg|Babbit and Catstello Gremlin2.jpg|The Gremlin Stork.png|The Drunk Stork Gallery Clampett-unit.jpg|Clampett with his animation unit. 1626-goodman03blancclampett.jpg|Bob Clampett with Mel Blanc. TexChuckBob0001.jpg|Clampett pictured with his colleagues Virgil Ross, Sid Sutherland, Tex Avery, and Chuck Jones. storynono01a-big.jpg|Clampett, in the center, with Michael Sasanoff, Thomas McKimson, and Hubie Karp. circa. 1945 clampett.png|Clampett with Melvin Millar and Warren Foster. circa. 1940 tumblr_nwzjohaAh21tb16fvo1_540.jpg|Bob with a young John Kricfalusi. super clampett.png|Clampett in Bugs Bunny: Superstar. swbiobobclampetthdg.jpg Bob-Clampett-and-Cecil.jpg|Bob with a puppet of Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent. Bob_and_Ollie.JPG|Clampett with his wife Sody and Ollie Johnston. tumblr_nn1t8cyk9z1tb16fvo4_1280.png|A caricature of Clampett drawn by Tex Avery. From Bugs Bunny: Superstar. tumblr_inline_no1axqKNZJ1s3enod_400.jpg 1626-goodman07clampettising.jpg|Bob receiving an award from Rudolf Ising. 11820_1023213365.jpg|Bob's gravestone at the A Forest Lawn Memorial Park.